Contradictions make chief's clarification on police shooting wise’

Thursday

Aug 27, 2009 at 12:01 AMAug 27, 2009 at 12:33 PM

Rockford police Chief Chet Epperson has issued a statement clarifying a statement he made at Wednesday’s news conference about the Aug. 24 officer-involved shooting that resulted in the death of Mark Anthony Barmore.

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Today, the chief clarified his comments and called the events leading up to the shooting “the initial reports.”

Mark Anthony Barmore, 23, a man wanted by police in connection to a domestic battery incident, was shot multiple times by two police officers Monday afternoon inside the House of Grace Daycare, which is housed in the Kingdom Authority International Ministries Church at 518 N. Court St.

Epperson said officers located Barmore in the basement of the day care. The chief said Barmore emerged from a storage closet and fought with one of the officers and tried to take the officer’s service weapon before he was shot.

Sheila Brown, the day care director and wife of church Pastor Melvin Brown, and their 17-year-old daughter, Marissa, said Barmore emerged from the closet at the officers’ command with his hands up and his head down and was shot.

A 911 dispatcher advised police Barmore may be armed with a knife. After the shooting, it was learned Barmore was not armed.

“At the news conference yesterday, I expressed to the community that this entire incident involving Mr. Barmore is tragic and will be examined from top to bottom,” Epperson said in a written statement. “I also asked the community to allow the investigatory process to be completed to gather the facts and evidence in order to gain the truth. I want to reiterate that statement once again.

“I have been criticized for reiterating the initial reports from the officers at the scene and characterizing the reports as facts as opposed to the initial reports. I want to reassure the public that every witness to this event, including the police officers who responded to the call, will be thoroughly questioned and all of the forensic evidence will be analyzed to determine the truth. At the end of this process the material will be reviewed by our independently elected state’s attorney and perhaps the grand jury. Through this process I am confident the true facts will emerge and justice will prevail. I once again ask the public to allow the investigation to proceed, as I will before arriving at an ultimate conclusion as to what occurred in this tragic incident.”

Epperson’s clarification was “wise” said Bishop John Senter of Faith Walkers Assembly.

“His speech came across as these are the facts when there is more evidence to be gathered,” he said.

Senter also said there will be a march in honor of Barmore at 10 a.m. today. Participants will depart from the North Court Street church and will proceed to the Public Safety Building, City Hall and back to the church.

A rally also is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at the church.

“The goal is to bring the community together and try to ease tensions,” Senter said. “We will ask the community to be calm and let the process take effect.”